Man killed in officer-involved shooting was a convicted murderer

SAN ANTONIO - The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office has identified a man who was recently shot and killed by a San Antonio Park Police Officer as 55-year-old Ray Valdez.

Valdez is a convicted murderer and was released from prison in 2002. Thursday evening Valdez and his girlfriend were involved in a fight, according to police. At some point in the fight, Valdez' girlfriend was able to break away and flag down a park police officer. She told the officer Valdez had assaulted her while holding a knife.

"The officer deployed his taser," said Chief William McManus with SAPD. "It was not effective. He continued toward the officer. The officer deployed his firearm and fired multiple times and he was struck three times."

McManus said he believes the officer, who is an 8-year veteran of the force, did the right thing.

"From what we're hearing the officer did everything right," McManus said. "He tried to intervene; he tried to use his taser first. That was ineffective and he resorted to the use of his firearm."

Valdez, who was sentenced to 20 years for murder in 1988, was also convicted of making terroristic threats to a family member after his release from jail.

The officer involved is being placed on administrative duty and an investigation into what happened has been launched, McManus said.